Parking Brake - use it or lose it??? How to lube it?

[White Lightening]

Greetings,

I know a few years ago - I personally experienced parking brake problems. The cable or brake unit didn't "release" completely when I released the parking brake on my wife's older car I was using - the result was the rear wheels both had incredibily hot wheels and hubs - and hot tires. We're talking "unable to touch" the wheels. I had to douse with a hose for 15 minutes in order to cool it down and prevent warpage. I first had to use hot water to prevent cracking - and even that created steam. Then gradually got to cold hose water. This was after only driving only 8 miles with partially engaged parking brakes. Had it been only a few miles further maybe only 10 miles or 15 miles of total driving - it would have been a very serious problem. Some times I understand - tires can catch on fire and then the rest of the vehicle - because of the intense heat created. And remember - the indicator light didn't show "brake on" because it had released partially - and the vehicle rolled just fine.

The issue can happen to any vehicle - cable sticks - or something sticks in the brake unit or area between cable and brake - and the indicator for "parking brake" goes off because the foot unit or hand unit returned to its proper position - leaving the driver unaware.

Parking brakes aren't much differnet today than they were 5 years, 10 years, or 20 years ago.

In the past - I've lubed the cables on various vehicles. But its time to ask smarter people than me - like you guys. I'm told that with parking brakes - either use them regularly or don't use them at all. Regular use "supposedly keeps them moving while infrequent use (like once every 6 or 12 months) is a concern. What I'm looking for - with my new truck - I want to start maintenancing the system from the beginning.

I'm wondering on the 2003 and 2004 and 2005 models - what is the best way to lubricate the parking brake system - and where should that lubricating be done? Cable lubricants - silicon sprays - penetrating lubes - motorcycle chain lubes - chain saw lubs etc.. Whats the best type of products to use for this - and where to use them?

Thanks for your inputs.